


Aftermath

by soulmetalfairy



Category: Supernatural
Genre: British Men of Letters Being Assholes, Comatose Sam, Dean is Bad at Feelings, Dean is Not Oblivious, Gen, Hurt Sam Winchester, Matter of Life and Death, Minor Character Death, Mother-Son Relationship, Post-Episode: s12e04 American Nightmare, Protective Dean Winchester, Scared Castiel, Scared Dean, Scared Sam, Season/Series 12, Winchester Fluff, Worried Dean, Worried Mary Winchester, mentions a bunch of other characters, scared Mary
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-19
Updated: 2017-06-19
Packaged: 2018-11-14 14:09:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11209668
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soulmetalfairy/pseuds/soulmetalfairy
Summary: '' D-Dean.'' Sam tried to speak, to tell him what he had seen, but before he could he felt his vision darkening. He tried to speak again, but what came out wasn't in English. It was in another language, one that had taken Sam awhile to find out when they had been searching for Magda. Sam felt something pressing hard into his chest. Dean was kneeling over him, his hands trying desperately to get control of the bleeding.'' It's going to be alright Sammy. Just hang on, please hang on.( Sam knew exactly when it was that Magda died.)





	Aftermath

'' You think she's going to be alright Dean?''

Dean glanced over to the passenger seat of the impala to find his brother. Sam was just staring ahead, his eyes partially lidded which told him just how tired Sam really was at the moment. He hadn't slept in the last 48 hours. All in all he looked like hell, yet instead of getting some sleep he was just staying awake beside him to talk.

'' I think she'll be just fine Sammy.'' Dean said. '' Like you said, Magda was able to stop herself from hurting her mother, and she can control her powers. I think she'll be just fine.'' Dean said.

'' I hope so.'' Sam said. '' I don't know why, but I just have this bad feeling about it.'' Sam mumbled.

'' She'll be find Sammy. Why don't you try getting some sleep? You haven't really slept at all since that delivery boy got killed.'' Dean suggested. He didn't hear Sam say anything, but he did see him lean his head against the window. It wasn't too long before Dean saw Sam's body start to relax into the seat as sleep finally took hold of him. Dean turned his head back towards the road. As he did he took a quick look at the meters, noting that they needed to get some gas. Dean would stop at the next place they found, but first he had to focus on driving in a way that wouldn't wake his brother up. Dean didn't know what he had faced in that house, but by the look on Sam's wrists after the ordeal it hadn't been friendly.

Dean kept his eyes pealed for a gas station as he noted the sun was starting to set. By now HE COULD BET that Magda was already halfway to her aunts house. She would be safe soon. Dean knew she would.

 

\---

 

When Dean found a good place to stop for gas Sam was still sleeping. He was conked out in the passenger seat, his head now laying partially on the doorframe instead of the window. He wasn't waking up anytime soon. So Dean climbed out of the car as quietly as he could, and he set to work in getting the gas for the next few hours worth of driving.

What he didn't notice was that when he shut the doo Sam had jerked suddenly. It wasn't a noticeable movement, but it was enough to make Sam wake up.

He squinted his eyes as he woke up from a deep sleep he'd slipped into. Sam wasn't sure how long he had been asleep for, but however long I was he could bet it was awhile. He ran a hand down his face, rubbing at his eyes to try and wake himself up more. He could see that he was sitting in the impala, and the impala was currently parked at a gas station. Sam also noticed that he was rather hungry. His stomach was growling, practically begging to get some food inside him. He wouldn't mind stepping inside to get something to eat. So he reached to open his door.

However, as he reached for the door handle he saw something flash before his eyes.

There was a small bathroom, there was a man there. He couldn't see his face, but he was holding a strange looking gun, and it was pointed directly at him.

He heard the gun fire, and a moment later Sam felt pain rip through his chest.

Sam didn't cry out in pain, he didn't even make a single noise as his hands fumbled with the handle. He could hear someone crying out for help in his head, begging for them to save her.

It didn't take long for him to realize the voice was Magda.

Sam managed to get the doo open after a moment, but by then his chest was soaked in blood. He threw the door open, but before he could catch himself he felt his body falling to the ground. It was then that he cried out, and when he did another pain ran through his chest.

'' Sam?'' He saw Dean spin around to face him, and he saw the way his brothers eyes grew wide in horror at the sight before him.Sam started to feel like he was choking as he coughed violently into his hands. When he pulled his hand away from his face he found blood coating his palm. He'd been hit in the lungs.

'' SAM!'' He saw Dean rush towards his side, his eyes wide in fear as he tried to gage the situation. '' Oh god, what the hell happened?''

'' D-Dean.'' Sam tried to speak, to tell him what he had seen, but before he could he felt his vision darkening. He tried to speak again, but what came out wasn't in English. It was in another language, one that had taken Sam awhile to find out when they had been searching for Magda.

Sam felt something pressing hard into his chest. Dean was kneeling over him, his hands trying desperately to get control of the bleeding.

'' It's going to be alright Sammy. Just hang on, please hang on.'' He saw one of Dean's hands raise a phone to his ear, but he could no longer hear what he was saying. To him it just looked like his lips were moving wile making no sound. His vision was darkening further now, to the point that it was almost impossible for him to see Dean anymore. He was scared, he didn't think he was going to make it. He was going to die here.

He could just make out a few words of what Dean was saying when he felt his eyes shut. He could tell just by the speech that Dean was calling for an ambulance, and he was just as terrified as he was. Sam lifted a hand to grip  at his brothers arm. He was terrified, and he needed his brother now or he was afraid that he wouldn't ever be able to see him again.

'' Hang on Sammy. You're not going to die.'' Dean said. The phone was gone, not. Sam felt Dean lift his body off the ground, and then there were arms wrapped around him. '' It's alright Sammy. You're not going to die, you're going to be alright.'' Sam tried to let on a smile, but then the images he'd seen jumped into his mind.

'' D-Dean.... Magda.'' Sam rasped.

'' Don't worry about that. Save your strength Sammy, you're not going to die.'' Dean said. Sam knew it wasn't going to be alright. He was going to die, and Magda was already dead. She'd reached out to him just like she had to those two people for help, but in the process she made the same mistake. Sam had no doubt that she wasn't going to make it, which meant that there as a big chance that he would also be dead soon.

'' Sammy stay with me, don't fall asleep. Sam?'' Sam felt his grip loosening on Deans arm. He was out of strength now, and he felt his grip falter as his hand fell away. all his senses began to fade, and a moment later he found his mind falling into darkness.

'' SAMMY!''

That was the last thing he heard before darkness claimed him.

 

\---

 

'' Sammy, come on you need to wake up. Sam!?'' Dean was terrified, maybe even past that. Sam had passed out on him, and he was still loosing a ton of blood. He could hear that Sam was having trouble breathing, telling Dean that he had a collapsed lung. Sam was in trouble. Where the hell was the damn ambulance.

'' Please hang on Sammy.'' Dean kept pressure on the wound as he tried desperately to hold his brother close. He could still feel Sam's heart beat. While it wasn't as strong as normal it was still there. Sa still had a chance if the ambulance would just show up already.

'' You're going to be OK Sammy.'' Dean said, holding his brother close. '' You're going to be just fine Sammy. You can't die on me now, not yet. Please, don't leave me.''

It wasn't too long before he began to hear sirens in the distance. When he glanced up for a moment he saw the lights of the ambulance approaching them. He knew that Sam would have a chance now, but he was also afraid. What if Sam crashed in the ambulance, what if he died while at the hospital, what if he never saw him again?

Dean pushed all those thoughts to the back of his mind as he began to feel around for his brothers pulse again. It was the same as before, telling him that Sam still had a good chance. His breathing was raspier then before, which still scared him to no ends. All he could do now was wait for the ambulance to take him to the nearest hospital, and then it was a waiting game. Until then he would hold Sam close, and wonder exactly why Sam had been talking about Magda.

 

\---

 

 When Dean had arrived to the hospital the ambulance was starting to unload.

As he climbed out of the car, barely remembering to close the door behind him, he saw two paramedics pulling a stretcher out of the ambulance. There was a third one there who was literally sitting on the stretcher straddling Sam's form. She was giving CPR to him, and she was shouting out commands as they ran along. Sam had an oxygen mask on his face, but there was no fog on the inside which told Dean that he wasn't breathing.

'' Oh god, Sammy.'' Dean ran to the ER entrance as fast as his legs would carry him, avoiding as many of the other people trying to enter as he could. When he ran inside he could already hear the commotion in back where he had no doubt they had already started working on his brother. He knew that Sam may not have much time left, but he had to make it, he just had to or else he would have to do something drastic again just to get him back.

Dean had tried to run after his brother to et to the back of the place, but he wasn't able to. Three nurses had to work to stop him from getting any closer to the bay where they currently had him.

'' Sir, we can't work if you go back there. You have to wait outside.'' One of them insisted. A second one shoved a clipboard into his hands, and then the third directed Dean back towards the waiting room. The entire time Dean just felt distraught, lost. He'd done this so many other times for Sam, but this time was different. Usually it was something that he knew about, something that he could've stopped, but this time that wasn't the case. He had no idea what had done this to Sam. Maybe it was Magda, but if it was then what had happened to her?

Dean took care of the paperwork like the nurse had said, giving the charts back. He chose then to ask how his brother was doing. That's when the nurse behind the front desk told him that Sam had been rushed to surgery, and it was unclear how things were going. She told him where the surgical waiting rooms were, and Dean didn't waste a second in going there. On his way he began to let his mind wander on what he should do. It would be awhile before he would be able to see Sam again. That's when it dawned on him.

Mary.

Cas.

Dean felt that their mother needed to know about this. After all she still did love them even if they hadn't seen her in forever. Cas, if Dean could get ahold of him, could probably help Sam if for some reason things were much worse then they seemed.

When Dean reached the waiting room, and had found a hard plastic chair to rest in, he pulled out his cellphone.

He began to make some calls.

Dean first got ahold of Cas, who was more then pleased to talk to someone other than Crowley for awhile. However, that attitude changed when Dean told him why he had called him.

_'' Sam was attacked?''_

'' I don't know what happened.'' Dean said. '' Sam was getting out of the car, and when he did he fell to the floor. Then there was all this blood...... I don't know what the hell happened to him.'' Dean admitted.

_'' Where is he now Dean?''_

'' He's still in surgery. They took him up there shortly after he got here. I don't know how much longer he'll be up there.'' Dean said. '' You think you could try to get out here? I don't know how bad the injuries are, but he was struggling to breath when they got him.... And then.... Then he was.... His heart must've stopped. I don't know if he's going to be OK.'' Dean said, finding his throat starting to close off. The entire situation was starting to strike him again.

_'' I will have to assure that Crowley can be trusted to continue. I will do my best to be there.''_

'' Thanks Cas..... Tis whole situation is starting to freak me out. I don't think Sam's going to make it.'' Dean said.

_'' Your brothers strong Dean. If its as bad as you say then he can pull through until I can get there.''_

'' He better.'' Dean said. '' Thanks Cas, I'll see you when you get here.'' A moment later the phone went quiet. Dean pulled the phone away from his ear to just stare at the screen for a moment. He was completely distraught, and knew that there was one more person o call. He scrolled through his contacts to where his mothers sat. For a moment he just left the bar with her number highlighted, frozen with the thought of what he was going to say to her. What could he tell her? Would she come to see him? Dean broke himself free of the frozen state, and quickly hit the dial button.

It wasn't long before the other line picked up.

_'' Dean is that you?''_

'' Hey mom.'' Dean said in a shaky voice.

_'' Is something wrong? You don't sound like yourself.''_

'' Mom its.....It's Sam mom. He's hurt...... He's hurt pretty bad.'' Dean said. His throat was closing up again. Fear was leaking into his voice as he spoke. '' I don't know what happened to him. He was getting out of the impala and then there was so much blood. He was struggling to breath and then......'' Dean bit at his lip to try desperately to keep it together. He couldn't loose it now, not when his mother was on the phone.

_'' How bad is it?''_

The haunted tone in Mary's voice seemed to snap him back to reality.

'' He lost a lot of blood. I think his heart stopped on him, they were performing CPR before they took him up to surgery. I don't know when he'll be out of it...... I don't even know if he'll be coming back from it alive.'' Dean said, the haunted tone returning to his own voice.

_'' Where are you boys at Dean? I want to come.''_

'' We're at Saint Vincent's Trauma Center. You can't miss it.'' Dean said. '' Mom, please hurry. Sam wasn't doing to good last I saw him.'' Dean said, his voice cracking in the middle. He almost broke, but he kept it together by biting into his lip.

_'' Dean, Sam's going to make it sweety. He's to stubborn to die from what I heard from the two of you.''_

'' I know mom, but this time it feels different.'' Dean said.

_'' Do you have any idea what may have caused the attack?''_

'' I have one theory, but to find out I'll have to get off the phone.'' Dean said.

_'' Then I won't keep you waiting.... And Dean?''_

'' Yeah mom?'' Dean asked. He heard Mary sigh deeply, sounding rather distressed.

_'' He's going to be OK. You know that he's going to be OK. I'll be there as soon as I can.''_

'' Right... By mom.''

Dean hung up on Mary a moment later, and he held the phone close to his mouth. There wasn't anything else that he could do. Anything else but find out what had happened to Sam. He had an idea, one that made him regret going with Sam's idea to let the girl go.

Magda.

That social service worker would know what had happened to her. She was still to look over her till she got to her aunts house. Dean remembered that she had given him her number, and Dean knew that calling her would tell him what was happening. So he dialed the number and waited for the other line to pick up.

When it did, his eyes grew in shock and horror.

He now knew why Sam was dying.

 

\---

 

It was hours before a doctor came out to talk with him.

'' Are you here for the young man they brought in here?'' The doctor asked, looking over towards Dean. He was out of his seat in a second, and he was by the doctors side.

'' Yeah, he's my brother... How is he?'' Dean asked.

'' Your brothers injuries were severe. They resembled two gunshot wounds to his chest, yet when we opened him up there was nothing there aside from the injuries themselves. Do you know what attacked him?'' The doctor asked.

'' I have no idea. He was fine one moment and the next he was on the ground with blood on his chest.'' Dean knew he was lying. He knew why Sam had been attacked, and he knew that it had been an accident, but still, it was his brother life on the line here. '' How is he doctor?'' Dean asked again.

'' Like I said, his injuries are severe. He lost a lot of blood, and his left lung collapsed right before we took him to surgery. What ever attacked him managed to nick his left lung. The cut was pretty deep, but we managed to patch it up. We took care of all the bleeding. Your brother was a lucky man. A collapsed lung can heal with time, but if the thing that struck him had been any closer to the right then it would've gone straight through his heart.'' The doctor explained. '' However, there is one problem.'' He mentioned.

'' What is it?'' Dean asked, fear running rapid inside him as the worst case scenario jumped to mind.

'' Your brother has slipped into a coma.'' The doctor said. '' We're worried that he may not wake up from it.''

Dean's worst fears had been realized. Everything seemed to be crashing around him. He felt his entire body tense as he began to shake. Whether it was from anger or fear he wasn't sure. All he knew was that his legs suddenly felt weak, and he noticed the doctor setting down his clipboard.

'' Come, you better sit down.'' He said, grabbing Dean's arm. Dean didn't even try to fight the man off, instead letting him lead him over to the nearest chair. He saw back into his, and he raised a shaky hand up to wipe at his face.

'' Is there any chance that he'll wake up?'' Dean said.

'' There is a possibility, but it is highly unlikely that it will be anytime soon.'' The doctor said. '' Your brother lost a lot of blood, and he did stop breathing for awhile.'' Fear gripped at Dean's chest. '' We're worried that there may have been starvation of oxygen to the brain, and that's why he slipped into the coma. We're doing everything we can for your brother, but the outcome at this rate is hard to say. Any number of things can happen between now and then, so I would be prepared for the worst.'' The doctor explained. Dean only nodded his head, his body practically on autopilot now. He could barely register what the doctor was saying aside from what could happen to his little brother now.

'' Can I see him?'' Dean asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

'' Yes. I'll take you to his room. Follow me.''

Dean followed the doctor down a few hallways. As they went there were many other nurses and patients in the halls. They were all watching him, telling Dean that his face must look as haunted and full of despair as he felt. He could loose his brother. If Cas didn't hurry over then Sam could die.

The doctor paused in front of a room, reading the chart on the door before he reached out to open it. He saw the doctor pop his head inside, and after a second he pulled back.

'' Your brother is resting in here. The only thing I will warn you about is to remember what I told you in the waiting room. What you may see might scare you.'' The doctor said.

'' I just want to see my brother.'' Dean said.

'' Very well then. Go ahead inside.'' The doctor said. He stepped aside, and as Dean began to step inside the room he made his way back down the hallway. Dean took only two steps into the room before he was frozen where he stood.

Sam was there alright, but it was literally terrifying to watch.

Sam was hooked up to all sorts of stuff there. The heart monitor could be heard beeping softly in the corner of the room, and the strange sound of a breathing tub at work could just be heard over that. There were all sorts of wires and other things hooked up to Sam's body, and Dean could see a few IV's that disappeared into Sam's arms.

Dean took a few steps forward towards the bed, his legs growing weaker the closer that he got to the bed. He saw a chair resting beside the bed, and Dean didn't waste a second in falling back into it. His eyes fell on Sam, and when they did he was able to see all the little things. He could see just how pale that Sam's skin had become, telling him that he'd lost a good deal of blood while in surgery. There was bruising under his closed eyes, and all in all he just looked like hell.

The blankets that laid over him only covered from the waist down, while his torso and everything else had been left bare. There was wrappings covering Sam's chest, and the white color was slightly stained with drying blood. Dean felt fear creep back up as he diverted his eyes away from the wrappings to watch his brothers face. Sam looked so calm, at peace, not in pain. However, that wasn't a good thing because that was from the coma. Dean, though it made him feel bad, would rather have his brother awake and in pain before him. Then at least he would know that Sam was alive and awake, and that he would hopefully be alright. Now he was in a coma, and no one knew if he would ever wake up. Dean feared that he wouldn't wake up, and if Cas couldn't get here to help then Sam might die. He couldn't let that happen, he just couldn't let his little brother leave him again.

'' God Sammy.'' Dean reached out, taking Sam's hand into his own. His hand felt cold in his palm. '' You can't die on me Sammy. You're not allowed to leave me yet. There's still work that needs to be done, and I can't do it alone.'' Dean held his brothers hand close as he tried desperately to hold back his emotions.

 

\---

 

A day later Mary arrived at the hospital.

She had called Dean when she reached the place asking where he was at. Dean had given her the number of Sam's room, and about ten minutes later he heard a knock at the door. He looked back towards it, and when he did he saw his mother step through with a look that spoke that she wasn't prepared for what she was about to see.

'' Hey mom.'' Dean said, his voice raspy with lack of sleep. He hadn't been able to sleep all night. He was too worried that he was going to loose his brother if he even dared to close his eyes. He watched a Mary took a few more steps towards them, and as she did she froze dead in her tracks. Her eyes went wide at the sight of Sam, and Dean saw one of her hands fly to her mouth.

'' Oh my god.'' She whispered. Dean watched for another minute as Mary slowly rounded the bed to take the other chair that was in the room. She fell into it beside the bed, her eyes focused on Sam. '' What the hell happened to him Dean?'' Mary asked. He saw her take Sam's other hand into her own, and he saw her worry at the cold sensation that he had no doubt she felt.

'' It was technically an accident.'' Dean said. '' Our last hunt, there was a girl named Magda. She was trying to reach out for help, but in the process she accidentally killed the people she was asking for help. Last night, when Sammy went down, I found out that she was shot within a few miles of her aunts place. She had been reaching out to Sam for help because he had told her that if she ever needed help that he would be there for her. She was begging him for help, but in the process made the same mistake she had with those people.'' Dean explained. He saw Mary's eyes move up to Sam's. Her hand that wasn't holding onto Sam's reached up towards his head, and Dean saw her brushing back Sam's hair. It seemed out of place for Dean, but then again he hadn't lived with a mom for years of his life. He hadn't been able to watch her take care of Sam for more then six months. She was making up for lost time even with the dire situation at hand.

'' How bad is it?'' Mary asked, her eyes turning up towards Dean.

'' The doctors said his lung collapsed when they took him up to surgery.'' Dean said. '' They said his heart stopped for a moment from the loss of blood, and so did his breathing...... He's slipped into a coma.'' Dean bit at his lip as he looked up to Sam's face. He still looked so frail, and his skin was still pale after all the blood transfusions he'd been given. '' They told me yesterday that he may not wake up.'' Dean said, his voice cracking halfway through the sentence. He saw Mary's eyes look back to Sam, and her gaze quickly filled with fear. She kept swiping Sam's hair out of his face.

'' How long?'' She asked. '' Or did they even tell you?''

'' They don't know.'' Dean said. '' They said it all depends on when he wakes up.... If he wakes up, and if he does they're not sure how he's going to be.'' Dean bit at his lip for a moment, trying to hold back all the emotions that wanted to come out. He knew that if he kept it up soon he would break, and when he did it wasn't going to be good.

'' Did you try calling Castiel for help?'' Mary asked.

'' I called him, but he's farther out. It might be awhile before he gets here.'' Dean said. '' If he can help Sam, then he should be alright.''

'' What do you mean if?'' Mary asked.

'' Cas's grace isn't as strong a it use to be. It's hit and miss sometimes.'' Dean explained. '' He knows that Sam's in trouble, so he must be saving his strength to help him. At least I hope he is.'' Dean said. Mary looked up to her oldest for a moment. She could see in Dean's eyes that he was shaken by this whole thing. She knew that this couldn't be the first time that he'd been forced to watch Sam in a hospital bed like this. She could tell, however, that Dean was afraid that it would be the last. She could tell he was afraid that this was where Sam was going to die. She couldn't lie either, she was afraid Sam was going to die as well. She couldn't loose one of her boys. Not here, not now. She just couldn't take it.

'' Dean.'' Mary reached across the bed to her oldest. She saw Dean look up towards her, watching her with eyes that now held confusion. '' He's going to make it.'' Mary said.

'' How do you know?'' Dean asked. '' When this happened I was forced to watch as my brother bled out in my arms. All I could do was call for help, I couldn't help him.''

'' You helped him the only way you knew how to. You were there for him when he needed you. He's not going to leave you Dean.... He's not going to leave either of us.'' Mary said. She gripped her sons hand, the one that was also holding onto Sam's. '' He's not going to die.'' She assured. She saw Dean nod his head, and that's when his walls finally cracked.

Dean couldn't hold back his emotion as he leaned forward to lay his forehead on the bed. A shudder ran through his body as the floodgates opened up. All his emotion came out at once as held his brothers hand tightly. He cried into the mattress, the only comfort against it being the presence of his mothers hand over his, and the feeling of his brothers held tightly in his own hand.

'' I'm scared mom.'' Dean sobbed. '' I can't loose him. I've lost him before and I-......... It was worse then dying.'' Dean said.

'' I understand Dean.'' Mary said. He felt the grip on his hand tighten as Mary tried to comfort him. It wasn't enough. '' He's not going to die Dean. I don't care what it takes, we won't let him die.'' Dean nodded his head, but never brought it up. He continued to let out his emotion and frustration until he could no longer do so. Mary was there by his side the whole time, watching over both her boys in wait for what was to come in the next few days.

 

\---

 

A week passed in silence for the Winchesters, and there was still no sign of Cas.

Sam hadn't been improving since the surgery. He was still hooked up to all sorts of machines, IV's, and a breathing tube. His condition wasn't getting any better, and both Dean and Mary were starting to fear the worst.

Mary was resting beside Sam's bed, her hand still tightly holding onto her sons hand as she watched him sleep. There was a blanket wrapped around her shoulders, and her eyes were closed. She'd fallen asleep holding onto Sam's hand. She was still there for him even in her sleep. Dean was on the other side of the bed, Sam's other hand held tightly in his own. He to had a blanket around him, but he was wide awake. He had barely slept the last week, barely even left Sam's side for longer than it took to get food or a quick shower. He'd just been sitting with his brother, watching over him like it was the only thing keeping him here. It had been a week, one whole week, and still Cas hadn't shown up. Dean was beginning to get desperate. He'd called Cas, but the angel hadn't answered. It made Dean fear that Cas hadn't been able to get away from Crowley for awhile, but then he thought that maybe Cas was just running behind. He hadn't told them where he was, but even Dean knew it shouldn't take this long to drive from point A to point B.

Dean could feel his eyes dropping as he watched his brothers face. He wasn't as pale as he had been, and the shadows had begun to disappear. That seemed to be the only improvement that Dean had found. Now if only he would wake up for him. Dean would love to see his brother awake and alive. To see those hazel eyes searching one again would be a blessing.

Dean could remember one time that he was in a coma. When he was under he had an out of body experience, and he was able to see and hear everything that was going on around him. While Sam may not be having one of those, he may still be able to hear him. He may still be awake enough to understand what was going on. Dean squeezed Sam's hand for a moment.

'' Sammy, I don't know if you can hear me or not, but you've got to fight.'' Dean said. '' I know you're fighting hard enough to stay here, but you need to fight more. You've got to wake up..... Please.'' Dean begged. He knew he wasn't going to get an answer, so instead he let the silence back in. He knew that somehow Sam must've heard him, and if he hadn't then all that was just reassurance for himself. Dean ran a hand down his face, realizing that he needed some coffee if he wasn't going to be sleeping. He let go of Sam's hand for a moment, and began to push up out of the chair. '' I'll be back Sammy, don't leave me.'' Dean said. He turned back towards the door, and began to walk out.

Dean had made it all the way to the cafeteria without anything unusual happening. He got his coffee, and was making his way back when he heard the elevator doors open to his right. He barely looked over to see who it was, and he almost dropped his coffee when he noticed none other than Castiel standing there.

'' Cas.'' Dean saw the angel step out of the elevator. He looked slightly disheveled, telling Dean that it had been awhile since the angel had stopped for a break.

'' I'm so sorry that I'm late Dean.'' Cas said. '' Crowley found another lead, and he refused to let me leave until we had checked it out. I drove for three days straight to get here.'' Cas explained.

'' Good thing you're hear.'' Dean said, quickly turning down the hall. '' Sam's room is down this way.''

'' How is he?'' Cas asked.

'' Bad.'' Dean said. '' His lung collapsed, and he's in a coma. He hasn't improved since they took him into surgery.'' Dean explained. '' He needs help fast.''

'' I will do what I can. Where is he?'' Cas asked.

'' He's in here.'' Dean said, walking up to Sam's room. He threw the door open, and when he did he managed to startle his mother awake. She jerked in the chair as he walked into the room. He set his coffee down on the table nearby. Cas stepped up behind him, and for the first time in a week he saw hope in his mothers eyes.

'' Castiel.'' She whispered.

'' He can help Sam.'' Dean said. He glanced over his shoulder to see Cas. The angel looked confused, in fact he looked rather disturbed by what he saw. '' Cas, you can help him, right?'' Dean asked.

'' I should be able to.'' Cas said. '' If the internal injuries haven't started to heal already then there may be a problem, but I should be able to do it.'' He explained.

'' Then please, save him.'' Mary begged. She went to stand, but before she did so she landed a quick kiss on the back of Sam's hand. She stepped away from the bed, and Dean walked over to stand by her side. They watched as Cas moved closer, and he set a hand on Sam's forehead. For a moment nothing seemed to happen. They waited another minute or so, and then they heard the heart monitor begin to speed up. Then Dean saw his hand jerk for a moment as his eyes began to scrunch up.

'' Sammy?'' Dean stepped up to the bed, and he watched as Sam's eyes opened up for the first time in a week. '' Sam?'' Dean gripped Sam's hand for a moment, and the touch quickly drew his eyes over to him. Sam's eyes were filled with terror, and then that changed as they clamped shut. Dean could hear him choking as he tried to fight the breathing tube in his throat. '' Oh god, get a nurse!'' Dean yelled.

'' On it!'' Mary ran out into the hall as Cas stepped back from the bed. He just watched as Dean kept ahold of his brothers hand. He could hear Sam choking, and Sam's free hand came up to claw at his throat.

'' It's going to be alright Sammy. Mom's getting help, she's getting someone to help get that thing out of you. You're going to be just fine.'' Dean assured. He saw tears slip out of Sam's eyes as he clamped them shut, and Dean felt Sam grip his hand so tight he felt like it was going to break.

For the first time in the last week he was so glad for that feeling, though it was painful.

 

\---

 

'' Magda's dead.'' Sam whispered from where he was sitting up on the bed.

'' Yeah Sammy. Beth told me what she had found out when they found Magda's body. She was shot twice in the chest, she practically drowned in her own blood after her lungs collapsed.'' Dean said. He saw Sam's head fall forward, looking down at the blanket covering his legs. While Cas had been able to bring him out of the coma, Sam was still hurt. He was hurt because the one person that they'd managed to save, who he had told he could help, was shot a day later by some figure wearing black.

'' I saw her get shot Dean.'' Sam said. '' When she saw him she immediately reached out to me. I saw a figure in black, and then I saw the gun. Next thing I knew I was bleeding out as I tried to get out of the car.'' Sam explained.

'' Did you see the persons face?'' Mary asked. Sam shook his head no.

'' I didn't see his face, but I could tell I was a guy.'' Sam said. '' He killed Magda.... If it was my choice I would track him down myself and kill him.'' Sam mumbled. Mary looked over towards Dean for a moment, her eyes filled with worry.

'' What's done is done Sammy. There's nothing we can do about it now.'' Dean said. He took Sam's hand into his own, squeezing it tightly in his grip. '' Magda's in a place that no one can hurt her anymore Sammy. Not her family, or that man. She's safe.'' Dean said.

'' Right.'' Sam mumbled, giving a short squeeze to Dean's hand.

'' Hey.'' Mary spoke up, grabbing Sam's attention. He looked over to her. '' It's going to be alright. What I learned from my parents when they would make me hunt was that you can't save everyone. Magda was just one of those cases, but like Dean said she is in a better place now. She's happy and safe.'' Mary explained.

'' I know.'' Sam said. He flashed a smile at Mary, and then looked back towards Dean. '' How much longer am I stuck here?'' Sam asked.

'' Doc said you could leave once he had the paperwork ready... He said it was like a miracle that you woke up. He also said that everything's healed up just fine. Cas did a good job.''

'' Yeah he did.'' Sam said. '' I'm ready to get out of this damn place.'' Sam said.

'' Diddo. It was way to stressful waiting for you to wake up.'' Dean said.

'' Bite me.'' Sam mumbled. Dean only smiled, and when he glanced over so was Mary.

For that short moment things were just perfect.


End file.
